africa - Why did Mozambique join the British Commonwealth? - History Stack Exchange Why did Mozambique join the British Commonwealth? up vote 18 down vote favorite 2 In short, the Commonwealth originated in the British Empire, as an association of Britain and its former colonies. Why did Mozambique (a former Portuguese colony) join? 3 Especially strange when you consider the huge political influence that Mozambique otherwise had on the world stage – none Aug 26 '12 at 20:02 1 Since 1996 Mozambique is a full member of CPLP (the portuguese language countries community). – user2003 Mar 11 '13 at 13:54 up vote 13 down vote accepted There are few direct benefits of Commonwealth membership and some debate about its usefulness , so the question is a fair one. Mozambique gained neither trade nor aid by virtue of membership.

I expect that the question would be addressed definitively in The Commonwealth Brand: Global Voice, Local Action by Victoria Te Velde (Ashgate, 2011) and in the SADC's Mozambique in the Commonwealth (1997), but I do not have access to the full text of either work. Factors seem to include the following : Impoverished shortly after independence, Mozambique had become highly dependent on foreign aid, especially from the Soviet Union. President Samora Machel in his later years, and his successor Joaquim Chissano, pursued stronger ties with other countries and international organizations to balance out this dependence. For example, Mozambique is a full member of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and even an observer of the Francophonie The Commonwealth had worked against white minority rule in Rhodesia and South Africa with the cooperation of Mozambique. For example, Mozambique supported sanctions against Rhodesia and South Africa, seriously damaging its own economy. By the late 1980s, with Zimbabwe having achieved independence and the end of apartheid in sight, Chissano wanted to ensure Mozambique had some influence in the future of South Africa .

He requested and was granted permission to attend the 1987 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) to voice Mozambican concerns. Although there are few direct benefits of Commonwealth membership, there are NGOs and professional associations affiliated with it. Improving Mozambican access to such institutions and their expertise would potentially assist with development. One must also consider the stalemate of the civil war. The main opposition RENAMO identified with the Portuguese, and took the pursuit of membership in the Commonwealth as something of an insult . Had they been victorious, such effort would not likely have been undertaken. But by the late 1980s, RENAMO was losing support from South Africa and FRELIMO had abandoned its earlier Marxist policies, making peace talks possible— and with the peace agreement in 1992 followed by free elections, Mozambique had fulfilled one of the prerequisites for Commonwealth membership.

There are also all the usual reasons states pursue membership in international organizations: direct diplomacy at the ministerial and head-of-government levels with other members access to larger/wealthier members general cooperation on matters of common concern From the other side, Mozambique was long considered a "cousin" country to the Commonwealth for its trade ties and support of anti-apartheid efforts. They even drive on the left :). Since the Commonwealth does not have an "observer" status , making Mozambique a full member came under discussion. Mozambique fulfilled the requirements of the Harare Declaration , and it is said that at the Auckland CHOGM in 1995, Nelson Mandela himself made an impassioned speech supporting the application as an exceptional case. The Commonwealth of Nations - African History African History Africa and the Commonwealth of Nations Commonwealth Nations in Africa. Image: ©2007 Alistair Boddy-Evans. Used with Permission Updated August 08, 2016. What is the Commonwealth of Nations? The Commonwealth of Nations , or more commonly just the Commonwealth, is an association of sovereign states consisting of the United Kingdom, some of its former colonies, and a few 'special' cases.

The Commonwealth nations maintain close economic ties, sporting associations and complementary institutions. When was the Commonwealth of Nations Formed? In the early twentieth century, the government of Britain was taking a hard look at its relationship with the rest of the British Empire, and particularly with those colonies populated by Europeans – the dominions . The dominions had reached a high level of self-government, and the people there were calling for the creation of sovereign states. Even amongst the Crown Colonies, Protectorates, and Mandates, nationalism (and the call for independence) was on the rise. The 'British Commonwealth of Nations' was first noted in the Statute of Westminster on 3 December 1931, which recognized that several of the United Kingdom's self-governing dominions (Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa) were "autonomous communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge " What was new under the 1931 Statute of Westminster was that these dominions would now be free to control their own foreign affairs – they were already in control of domestic affairs – and to have their own diplomatic identity. Which African Countries are Members of the Commonwealth of Nations? There are 19 African states who are currently members of the Commonwealth of Nations. See this Chronological List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations, or Alphabetical List of African Members of the Commonwealth of Nations for details. Is it Only ex-British Empire Countries in Africa Who Have Joined the Commonwealth of Nations? No, Cameroon (which had only partially been in the British Empire following World War I) and Mozambique joined in 1995. Mozambique was admitted as a special case (ie could not set a precedent) following democratic elections in the country in 1994. All its neighbors were members and it was felt that Mozambique's support against white-minority rule in South Africa and Rhodesia should be compensated. On the 28th November 2009 Rwanda also joined the Commonwealth, continuing the special case conditions under which Mozambique had joined.

What Kind of Membership Exists in the Commonwealth of Nations? The majority of African countries who had been part of the British Empire gained independence within the Commonwealth as Commonwealth Realms . As such, Queen Elizabeth II was automatically the head of state, represented within the country by a Governor-General. Most converted to Commonwealth Republics within a couple of years. (Mauritius took the longest to convert – 24 years from 1968 to 1992). Lesotho and Swaziland gained independence as Commonwealth Kingdoms, with their own constitutional monarchy as head of state – Queen Elizabeth II was recognized only as the symbolic head of the Commonwealth. Zambia (1964), Botswana (1966), Seychelles (1976), Zimbabwe (1980), and Namibia (1990) became independent as Commonwealth Republics. Cameroon and Mozambique were already republics when they joined the Commonwealth in 1995. Did African Countries Always Join the Commonwealth of Nations?

All those African countries still part of the British Empire when the Statute of Westminster was proclaimed in 1931 joined the Commonwealth except for British Somaliland (which joined with Italian Somaliland five days after gaining independence in 1960 to form Somalia), and Anglo-British Sudan (which became a republic in 1956). Egypt, which had been part of the Empire until 1922, has never shown an interest in becoming a member. Do Countries Maintain Membership of the Commonwealth of Nations? No. In 1961 South Africa left the Commonwealth when it declared itself a republic. South Africa rejoined in 1994. Zimbabwe was suspended on 19 March 2002 and decided to leave the Commonwealth on 8 December 2003. What Does the Commonwealth of Nations do for its Members? The Commonwealth is best known for the Commonwealth games which are held once every four years (two years after Olympic games).

The Commonwealth also promotes human rights, expects members to meet a set of fundamental democratic principles (curiously enough spelt out in the Harare Commonwealth declaration of 1991, given Zimbabwe's subsequent departure form the association), to provide education opportunities, and maintain trade links. Despite its age, the Commonwealth of Nations has survived without needing a written constitution. It depends upon a series of declarations, made at Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings. THE BRITISH EMPIRE THE BRITISH EMPIRE In the following list of present and former British possessions, current British possessions and dependencies are in boldface, and independent states in the Commonwealth that retain Queen Elizabeth as their Head of State are followed by a crown, .

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland England Ireland, independent 1921, Republic 1938, leaves Commonwealth 1949 Northern Ireland Gibraltar, seized 1704, ceded by Spain 1713 Hanover, 1714, independent 1837, to Prussia 1866 Ionian Islands, 1809, to Greece 1864 Minorca, 1708, to Spain 1783 Malta, 1800, independent 1964, republic 1974 Cyprus, 1878, independent 1960, Turkish invasion, occupation of northern Cyprus 1974 Egypt, shares of Suez Canal purchased 1875, country occupied 1882, protectorate 1914, independent 1922, Suez Canal occupied until 1956, Canal nationalized 1956 Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, condominium 1898-1956, independent 1956 Palestine, occupied 1917, mandate 1921, independent 

1948 (Israel; Palestine to Jordan & Egypt, territories occupied by Israel 1967) Transjordan, occupied 1917, mandate 1921-1946, independent 1946 (Jordan 1949) Iraq, occupied 1918, mandate 1921-1932, independent 1932 Kuwait, protectorate 1904, independent 1961 Bahrain, protectorate 1882, independent 1971 Muscat & Oman, Treaty 1798, independent 1971 Qatar, protectorate 1916, independent 1971 Trucial States (Oman), protectorate 1820, independent 1971 (United Arab Emirates) Abu Dhabi Aden, 1839, independent 1967 (South Yemen) Socotra Island Afghanistan, First Afghan War 1838-1842, Second Afghan War 1878-1880, protectorate 1880-1921, Third Afghan War 1919

-1921, Soviet Russian occupation 1979-1989 India, independent 1947 (Pakistan [out of Commonwealth 1972-1989], Bangladesh 1971) Andaman Islands Burma, 1826 (Arakan) 1852 (Lower Burma) 1886 (Upper Burma), independent 1948 (Myanmar 1991) Ceylon, 1795, independent 1948 (Sri Lanka) Seychelles, 1810, independent 1975 British Indian Ocean Territory, created 1965 Chagos Archipelago Three Brothers, Eagle, and Danger Islands The Egmont Islands Malaysia, created and independent 1963 Straits Settlements, Crown colony 1867 Singapore 1819, to Malaysia 1963, independent 1965 Penang 1786, to Malaya 1948, to Malaysia 1963 Malacca 1824, to Malaya 1948, Malaysia 1963 Labuan

, 1846, to North Bornea 1890, to Singapore 1907, to Straits Settlements 1912, to North Borneo 1946 Malaya, Federation 1957, independent 1963 as Malaysia British North Borneo, 1877, to Malaysia 1963 (Sabah) Sarawak, to James Brooke 1841, Crown Colony 1946, to Malaysia 1963 Brunei, protectorate 1888, independent 1984 Hong Kong, 1841, to China 1997 British North America Ontario (Upper Canada), 1759, autonomous 1840 Quebec (Lower Canada), 1759, autonomous 1840 Nova Scotia, 1717, autonomous 1854 New Brunswick, 1759, autonomous 1854 Prince Edward Island, 1759, autonomous 1854 Northwest Territories British Columbia, 1849 (Vancouver Island) 1858 Newfoundland, 1

583, to Canada 1949 United States, independent 1783 Mosquito Coast, 1655, to Nicaragua 1855 Surinam, 1651, Dutch Guiana 1668 British Guiana, 1796/1815, independent 1966 (Guyana) British Honduras, 1638/1786, independent 1981 (Belize) Bahama Islands, 1670, independent 1973 Turks & Caicos Islands, 1678, to Bahamas 1799, to Jamaica 1873, admnistered by Bahamas 1965-1973 Grand Turk Island Bermuda, 1609, to Virginia 1612, separate 1684 Cayman Islands, 1655 West Indies Federation, federated 1956 Leeward Islands, federated 1871 Antigua, 1632, & Barbuda, 1628, independent 1981 St.

Kitts, 1624, & Nevis, 1628, independent 1983 Windward Islands St. Lucia, 1815, independent 1979 Grenada, 1763, independent 1974 St.

Vincent, 1763, & the Grenadines, independent 1979 Dominica, 1763, independent 1978 Trinidad, 1797, & Tobago, 1763, independent 1962 Australia, Commonwealth 1901 Lord Howe Island & Ball's Pyramid Cocos (Keeling) Islands & Christmas Island McDonald Islands, Shag Island, & Heard Island Nauru, 1914, trustee of Aus, NZ, & UK, 1947, independent 1968 Papua-New Guinea, independent 1964 Papua, Queensland 1883, Australia 1901, to Papua-New Guinea New Guinea & Bismark Archipelago, from Germany 1914, Australia Trust Territory 1919, to Papua-New Guinea Solomon Islands, protectorate 1893, independent 1978 Fiji, 1874, independent 1970, leaves Commonwealth 1987 New Zealand, 1769, autonomous 1853 Cook Islands, etc.

Western Samoa, from Germany 1914, independent 1962 (Samoa) Tonga, protectorate 1900, independent 1970 Hew Hebrides, 1887, Anglo-French Condominium 1906-1980, independent (Vanuatu) Gilbert Islands, 1892, independent 1979 (Kiribati) Elice Islands, 1892, independent 1978 (Tuvalu) Pitcairn Island, 1838 Starbuck Island Malden Island Union of South Africa, 1910, Republic of South Africa, out of Commonwealth 1961-1994, rejoins Commonwealth 1994 Southwest Africa, from Germany 1915, independent 1990 (Namibia) Basutoland, 1868, independent 1966 (Lesotho) Swaziland, 1890, independent 1968 Bechuanaland, 1885, independent 1966 (Botswana) Mosambique, former Portuguese colony, joins

 Commonwealth 1995 East Africa Tananyika, from Germany 1917, independent 1961 (Tanzania 1964) Zanzibar, 1890, independent 1963 (Tanzania 1964) Uganda, 1888, independent 1962 Northern Rhodesia, 1889, independent 1964 (Zambia) Southern Rhodesia, 1888, revolt 1965-1980 (Rhodesia), independent 1980 (Zimbabwe) Nyasaland, 1889, independent 1964 (Malawi) British Somaliland, 1884, to Somalia 1960 Eritrea, 1941-1952, to Ethiopia 1952 West Africa Sierra Leone, 1787, independent 1961 Gold Coast, 1662, independent 1957 (Ghana) The Gambia, 1661, independent 1965 Nigeria, 1861, independent 1

960 Cameroon, former German colony & French mandate, joins Commonwealth 1995 British Cameroon, from Germany 1919, to Nigeria & Cameroon 1961 St.

Helena & Dependencies British Commonwealth a popular club Print Editor’s note: WorldNetDaily international correspondent Anthony C. LoBaido filed this report from London on the changing shape of the British Commonwealth in the 21st century. LoBaido has traveled to some of the nations aspiring to join the Commonwealth, like Cambodia, as well as to former colonies and protectorates like Burma, Cyprus, Singapore, South Africa, Hong Kong, Jordan and Iraq. LONDON — What do nations like Belize, India, Fiji, Singapore and Australia have in common? They are just a few of the 54 members of the British Commonwealth, a powerful yet overlooked player in the field of international trade and relations. Far from being a tattered remnant of the backwaters of the British Empire, the Commonwealth is growing more influential. Moreover, new applicants to join the Commonwealth are coming in from the four corners of the Earth. For the British, the existence of the Commonwealth has helped ease the pain of the loss of their once-mighty empire. There can be no doubt that no other empire in history left behind such a financial, cultural and political network. Not Greece, Rome, Germany, France, Portugal or Spain.

What is the Commonwealth, and why do so many nations want to be a part of it, especially during this time of politically correct decolonization? The U.N. has sought to strip both the U.S. and the UK of their overseas possessions, yet more and more nations want to join the Commonwealth instead of leave it. Two aspiring Commonwealth nations have even played host to the worst genocides in modern times. They are Rwanda (once a German colony) and Cambodia (formerly a part of French Indochina). Even the PLO has requested to join the Commonwealth. Why such a strong desire to join up with a transnational regime like the British Commonwealth? The reasons are legion. To be sure, the new religion of global trade plays at least a small role. Also, the seeds of Christian civilization are thriving in some member states in Asia and Africa — many of these seeds planted by British missionaries. Many member states speak English, and the English language is the global language of business and computers. The Royal Family is quite popular in many circles, and the late Princess Diana was the most photographed woman on the planet. Diana’s blonde, well-groomed, good-looking sons will no doubt carry on her mystique well into the future.

Westminster Abbey The power of British transnational corporations like British Petroleum cannot be overstated. Prince Charles is the head of the Wales Business Council, whose member corporations are on solid financial footing and wield great influence around the world. Controlling the mineral wealth of nations like Angola and Sierra Leone — where Blair dispatched British troops last year to protect the investments of British financiers — is also a top priority in the UK’s elite financial circle. As demonstrated by Blair’s action in Sierra Leone, in the UK — as well as in the U.S. — big business often works hand in glove with the government. The Commonwealth is a great help to British business interests in this regard. Then there is the lead Britain holds over member states in the fields of high technology, biotechnology, banking, marketing and the satellite programming of transnational media elites like Rupert Murdoch’s Star Network. Add to this the great popularity the world over of sports like rugby and cricket in former British colonies. Not to be overlooked is the UK’s military and diplomatic clout, not to mention the MI-6 foreign intelligence network. In the shadowy outer reaches of the de facto British Empire are a romantic group not unlike Lawrence of Arabia and his desert nomadic fighters of World War I.

They are the Gurkhas of Nepal. So feared are the Gurkhas for their soldiering skills that when then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher dispatched them to the Falkland Islands in 1982, Argentina pulled out immediately. During World War II, the Gurkhas would crawl up to the Japanese sentries in the dark and cut the laces on their boots — just for fun. These days, the Gurkhas guard the Sultan of Brunei — perhaps the richest oilman on the planet. The hearty Gurkhas were also deployed to East Timor at the apex of the crisis in that nation. The cash payments Britain made to Nepal for the Gurkhas’ services were the third leading source of foreign earnings for that Hindu Himalayan kingdom. Transnational mercenary forces like Executive Outcomes, Sandline and the Gurkhas combine to serve as a kind of “British Foreign Legion” shielded from the scrutiny of the British parliament. There is also the Anglophile vs. Francophile issue to contend with when considering the strength of the Commonwealth. In general, the Anglophile nations respect the UK’s involvement in their affairs, as it is not heavy-handed like France’s role in her colonies.

Many consider the French nuclear tests in Tahiti in the 1990s as a typical misuse of the French Foreign Legion and indicative of French haughtiness. While British troops and mercenaries are deployed to guard the UK’s financial and mineral interests overseas, in places like Sierra Leone, the French Foreign Legion struggles to maintain both a mission and a focus. Rwanda wants to join the Commonwealth based on the English-speaking Tutsis, who were massacred in the Rwandan genocide by the French-speaking Hutus. Tutsis who had been driven out of Rwanda sought refuge in Uganda, which led to that nation joining the Commonwealth as well. Uganda is a former British colony and was once suggested by Jewish Zionists as a possible homeland for the Jews. French-speaking Cambodia has been rebuffed in its bid to join the Commonwealth. One reason is that Cambodia’s leader, Hun Sen, has close ties to Fidel Castro. Also, the Khmer Rouge, which murdered two million innocents at Pol Pot’s “killing fields” have yet to be prosecuted by EU and U.N.-approved judges for their genocide in 1975-1979.

Ironically, Thatcher and former President Ronald Reagan armed the Khmer Rouge in the early 1980s to prevent the Vietcong from invading Thailand. The Commonwealth also hands out numerous scholarships for bright students in member states to study in the UK. Much like the Rhodes program, these students will have their minds filled with pro-British ideals. These scholarships were suspended for much of Thatcher’s tenure. She was an anti-communist who supported the Christian anti-communist white government of South Africa, leading to the near collapse of the Commonwealth. Visa requirements for member states and rows over Britain’s entrance into the European Common Market also soured relations with member at various times over the past three decades. Today, Britain remains over 90 percent white in its racial composition. The many Commonwealth member nations, however, are incredibly diverse in their political, racial and cultural makeup. Some are Marxist, like Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia. Others are Muslim, like Pakistan. Most of the Commonwealth countries are non-Anglo. They comprise black Africans, Asian and Pacific islanders. Many of the Commonwealth nations are former British colonies, like Cyprus and Canada. Some are former French colonies, like Cameroon.

All in all, they combine to form a singular entity that cannot be overlooked as a ragtag collection of backwater states. A complete list of the Commonwealth nations includes: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cameroon, Canada, Cyprus, Dominica, Fiji Islands, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. For the sake of posterity, the grand history of the British Empire has been depicted in sweeping murals inside the British parliament. For most people, the British Empire has been relegated to the dustbin of history.

But is this a fair and accurate assessment? History of the Empire In 1497, John Cabot set sail from Bristol, discovered Newfoundland and thus ushered in the beginning of the British Empire. By the 1550s, the earliest voyages from Britain to Guinea in West Africa began. In 1585, the first British colony at Roanoke Island was settled. All of these settlers disappeared under mysterious circumstances, with only the word “Croatan” left carved on a tree. In 1600, the charter for East India Company cemented trade with India and China. By 1639, Madras, today’s New Age Mecca, came into the British fold. Cromwell’s navy took over Jamaica from Spain in 1655. Then in 1704, Britain took Gibraltar from France and much of Canada. In 1760, the British Empire added Quebec and Montreal. In 1788, Botany Bay, the first Australian colony, was settled by British convicts. After the Napoleanic Wars, Britain added Mauritius, Tobago and the Cape of Good Hope in 1815.

Britain added Singapore in 1819, Burma in 1824 and Nanking in the Opium Wars between 1842 and 1860. The Irish potato famine of 1845 sent millions of Irish settlers to different parts of the growing Empire. London’s statue of Queen Victoria is dedicated to the grand era of Victorian England. The British Empire’s technological feats reached a new height between 1850 and 1910, when over 30,000 miles of railroad were built in India at the apex of the Pax Victoria. Today, Lake Victoria in Uganda and Victoria Falls in Rhodesia/Zimbabwe still remain. By 1872, British industrialist Cecil Rhodes set out to achieve his ideal of an African Empire “Cape Town to Cairo,” that was to rival the United States. In 1876, Queen Victoria was declared empress of India. Ten years later, the UK added Nigeria to the empire. At this point, it could be said that “the sun never set on the British Empire.” Britain defeated the Afrikaners in the Boer War between 1899-1902.

England became a protectorate over Egypt in 1916, and just after World War I, took control of Iraq, TransJordan, Palestine and southwest Africa (today Namibia). In 1926, at the Imperial Conference, The British Empire granted Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa autonomy. Between two eras The British Empire was broken up — along with the Portuguese, Spanish and French Empires — after World War II, with the prompting of a victorious United States. At that time, the name of the collection of nations was officially changed to the “British Commonwealth.” In 1952, Queen Elizabeth II ascended to the throne and took her place over the Commonwealth. The Queen and the Commonwealth faced a crisis in 1965, when leftist-leaning black African states wanted England to send troops to fight against the independence bid of white-ruled, Christian, anti-communist Rhodesia. British Prime Minister Harold Wilson refused to send troops to fight against Rhodesia.

He claimed that the black African states were “treating Great Britain like a bloody colony.” However, the Commonwealth appeased the black African states by giving up permanent chairmanship to a new independent working group that had just over 20 members at that time. This little known fact only recently came to light when British intelligence papers were declassified after a 30-year moratorium on secrets passed. The last vestige of the old Empire drifted away in 1997 when Britain’s lease on Hong Kong expired. Ironically, communist China had been willing to extend the lease for another two generations, but Britain’s diplomats were so eager to hand over the colony, China accepted it. In 1999, the devolved parliaments of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were introduced. In an interview with WorldNetDaily, British Minister of Parliament Roger Gale said, “Tony Blair hates the United Kingdom. These devolved parliaments are intended to break up the UK into many bite-sized chunks, which are to be delivered to the European Union.

Blair’s breakup of the UK has gone so far that under the present system of government, it is irreversible.” Gale wants to introduce legislation to totally revamp both the House of Commons and the House of Lords towards an Americanized system with both a congress and a senate. Other Commonwealth citizens have varying opinions on Great Britain, the Crown and the history of the British Empire. A recent referendum in Australia to become a republic independent from the Queen was soundly defeated last year. According to Australian David Barclay, who works at the Japanese Embassy Down Under, “There were strong feelings on both sides of the referendum. Australians used to feel more isolated until the past decade. Now there is the Internet and cheap airfares to connect us to the rest of the world. Still, the Queen is quite popular in general in Australia. Obviously, the majority are not ready to cut the cord with Great Britain just yet. But who can say what will happen in the future?” Canadian English-as-a-second-language teacher Sheila McReynolds told WorldNetDaily: “Canadians in general don’t really consider themselves linked to Britain — especially when we are being flooded with immigrants from the Third World. They don’t share our language, religion or culture.

But they do seek money and a better life. I guess that is part of being a citizen of the new global civilization. I think the British have achieved Cecil Rhodes’ vision to a great extent — only Rhodes wanted to develop Africa. Now Africa has been ruined by black self-rule, which makes it easier for the white nations to exploit it. It’s sad, but true.” Jasmin DeSylva, a dancer from India, said, “The British did some bad things in my country, but also many good things, like the railroads, hospitals, churches, sports and schools. Wherever I travel in the world, children play the same games we did growing up. This is the British influence.” South Africa policewoman Narina Coetzee told WorldNetDaily she still holds resentment against the British Commonwealth. “By helping to put the ANC in power, Britain finally took back South Africa after Die Boereoorlog [Afrikaans for ‘Boer War’]. Even today, we Afrikaners have problems with the British.

If I were to date a British guy, my fellow Boers would call me ‘Hans Khaki’ [the color of British uniforms in the Boer War] or ‘Rooineck’ [referring to the sunburn on the necks of British soldiers new to Africa in the Boer War],” said Coetzee. “It’s almost like being a traitor,” she continued. “The Afrikaners will never accept how the British pushed the communists on us and how the ANC has ruined our beautiful nation with their Marxist anarchy. Thatcher tried to save us, but in the end, she could not. She was a great woman though, and the fall of South Africa to communism should not diminish her legacy in any way. In fact, it should strengthen it. She was right after all — the ANC is even more evil than apartheid.” The power of the Commonwealth While the image of King George VI no longer adorns coins that refer to him as the “Emperor of India,” the clout of the Commonwealth continues to grow steadily. The British flag may not fly over as many colonies anymore, but its financial tentacles are greater than ever, with banking outposts in the Isle of Man, the Bahamas and Nauru.

Inside these tentacles rest the financial wealth of British puppets like Marxist dictator Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe. And if member states or aspiring member states don’t behave, the Commonwealth will send them to the corner of the classroom like an errant child. Seemingly, everyone wants to play ball with the Commonwealth. While tiny Yemen wants to join up, oil-rich Nigeria feared being ejected for the anti-democratic, book-burning activities of its radical government throughout the 1990s. Fiji was kicked out of the Commonwealth back in 1987 after a coup led by Gen. Sitiveni Rabuka, but the nation recently came back into the good graces of the Queen. These days, there are eight members of the Ministerial Action Group. This body oversees the behavior of Commonwealth member states. Nelson Mandela, who brought South Africa into the Commonwealth after his Marxist ANC took power in 1994, headed the group at one time. Nigeria was suspended the same day the former Portuguese colony of Mozambique was let in to the Commonwealth. Mandela was placed in charge of the Action Group to oversee the sanctions against Nigeria to avoid charges of white racism. Mozambique is another ANC-aligned Marxist state.

Things were not always this way between the British and the Marxists. For example, during the Thatcher era, relations with black Africa’s Marxist states were so poor that the Commonwealth secretariat was almost moved from England to Toronto, Canada. During this time, working behind the scenes, the Queen soothed the anger of the black African nations, assuring them that things would change in the future. “The Commonwealth has real vitality and an extensive network that can be harnessed for either good or bad for about 25 percent of the world’s population,” says Tracey Kinchen, a former British MI-6 intelligence agent. “It is a shame that the liberal governments in the UK bend over backwards to appease the Marxist member states,” said Kinchen. “Christianity, a republican form of government, opposition to world government by the U.N., a war on political correctness, assistance for non-whites who oppose communism and Islamic jihad should be the cornerstone of the Commonwealth — and the French Foreign Legion for that matter. Whites need to reclaim their Christian roots in order to be of true service to the peoples of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific islands. Right now, we’re on the wrong side of almost every battle. Why?

Because economics have become our new false god.” Adds Alan Harvey, head of the Springbok Club, a South African patriot group based in London, “White rule around the world has a lot more influence than people think. I personally believe that the white man will return to Africa and rule one day. Even now, there are blacks in Zimbabwe who want former white Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith to rule that nation instead of Mugabe.” Why does the Commonwealth continue, despite the absence of a strategic alliance or monolithic trade structure? Perhaps the answers lay in the fact that the Commonwealth works to establish harmony without too much over-the-top arm-twisting. It has no peacekeepers like the United Nations. It understands that in the 21st century, transnational corporations wield a great deal of power on the international stage — possibly more than nation-states and their governments. Member states, especially the poorer ones, look to the Commonwealth as an international organization large enough to make them feel protected, while small enough to meet their individual needs — be they more doctors or access to credit and development projects. When the poet Yates claimed that “the center does not hold,” he couldn’t have envisioned the mutation of the British Empire into the Commonwealth.

By letting go of her crowned jewels voluntarily, Britain’s long, lost children are at last begging to come back home, and have brought a few orphans along with them. Related Stories: History and Purpose of the Commonwealth of Nations Share By Matt Rosenberg As the British Empire began its process of decolonization and the creation of independent states from former British colonies, there arose a need for an organization of countries formerly part of the Empire. In 1884, Lord Rosebery, a British politician, described the changing British Empire as a "Commonwealth of Nations." Thus, in 1931, the British Commonwealth of Nations was founded under the Statute of Westminster with five initial members - the United Kingdom, Canada, the Irish Free State, Newfoundland, and the Union of South Africa. (Ireland permanently left the Commonwealth in 1949, Newfoundland became part of Canada in 1949, and South Africa left in 1961 due to apartheid but rejoined in 1994 as the Republic of South Africa). In 1946, the word "British" was dropped and the organization became known as simply the Commonwealth of Nations.

Australia and New Zealand adopted the Statute in 1942 and 1947, respectively. With India's independence in 1947, the new country desired to become a Republic and to not utilize the monarchy as their head of state. continue reading below our video 4 Tips for Improving Test Performance The London Declaration of 1949 modified the requirement that members must view the monarchy as their head of state to require that countries recognize the monarchy as simply the leader of the Commonwealth. With this adjustment, additional countries joined the Commonwealth as they gained independence from the United Kingdom so today there are fifty-four member countries. Of the fifty-four, thirty-three are republics (such as India), five have their own monarchies (such as Brunei Darussalam), and sixteen are a constitutional monarchy with the sovereign of the United Kingdom as their head of state (such as Canada and Australia). Although membership requires having been a former dependency of the United Kingdom or a dependency of a dependency, former Portuguese colony Mozambique became a member 1995 under special circumstances due to Mozambique's willingness to support the Commonwealth's fight against apartheid in South Africa.

The Secretary General is elected by the Heads of Government of the membership and can serve two four-year terms. The position of Secretary General was established in 1965. The Commonwealth Secretariat has its headquarters in London and is composed of 320 staff members from the member countries. The Commonwealth maintains its own flag. The purpose of the voluntary Commonwealth is for international cooperation and to advance economics, social development, and human rights in member countries. Decisions of the various Commonwealth councils are non-binding. The Commonwealth of Nations supports the Commonwealth Games, which is a sporting event held every four years for member countries. A Commonwealth Day is celebrated on the second Monday in March. Each year carries a different theme but each country can celebrate the day as they choose. The population of the 54 member states exceeds two billion, about 30% of the world population (India is responsible for a majority of the Commonwealth's population). Mercal Consulting Group - Consultoria Gestão, Finanças, Marketing Alguns testemunhos de Sucesso “A Mercal desenvolveu para a Missing Children Europe, um projeto para a Acreditação das Linhas 116 000 em Portugal e em Espanha.

A iniciativa permitiu harmonizar a atuação de todas as ONG envolvidas, viabilizar a implementação e garantir a sua sustentabilidade, através de obtenção de financiamento.” Missing Children Europe “O projeto de marketing internacional desenvolvido pela Mercal, permitiu assegurar à AIRFREE uma maior capacidade de inovação e penetração em diversos mercados: Portugal, Espanha, Holanda, Rússia; EUA, México, Canadá e Brasil, Emiratos, Dubai, e China.” Airfree “Com o apoio da Mercal a Inosat tornou-se uma empresa à escala global.

Actualmente estão presentes em 26 países divididos por 4 grandes regiões: Europa, África, América Latina e Médio Oriente.” Inosat “O trabalho desenvolvido pela Mercal permitiu a fusão bem sucedida das duas cooperativas, aumentando a sua competitividade, tornando-a uma referência a nível nacional e reforçando o seu posicionamento competitivo à escala ibérica.” Cooperativa Agrícola de Beja e Brinches “O projeto desenvolvido pela Mercal permitiu a internacionalização bem sucedida da empresa para Moçambique, através de investimento direto, assim como conferiu a capacidade da mesma se expandir para os Países da África Austral.” ASM Metalomecanica “A Mercal desenvolveu um Plano Estratégico e Organizacional preparando a empresa para os desafios futuros da globalização do negócio.

Foi também desenvolvido um Plano de Marketing Internacional através da identificação de oportunidades para a internacionalização, criando as condições necessárias para um processo de investimento direto no Brasil.” Liveplace “A Mercal desenvolveu um Plano Estratégico de Marketing e de Apoio à Implementação do plano comercial, provendo o sistema de informação e os planos de marketing direto, de apoio à prospeção comercial e digital” Deltrain Através do FIEAE – Fundo Imobiliário Especial de Apoio às Empresas foram efetuados planos de viabilização e de reestruturação financeira em mais de quarenta empresas, potenciais candidatas e em todos os setores de atividade, envolvendo financiamento de cerca de 100 milhões de euros.” Turismo Fundos-SGFII, S.A.

“A Mercal apoiou o IAPMEI na sua Bolsa de Ideias e Meios através da realização de um plano de negócios, ajudando a viabilizar cerca de uma dezena de empresas que foram premiadas e que actualmente são casos de sucesso.” IAPMEI “A Mercal desenvolveu um Estudo de Marketing e de Avaliação da Satisfação dos Clientes, envolvendo ao nível nacional os segmentos de distribuidores, quadristas, instaladores e construtores. Esse estudo foi essencial para a definição da nova Estratégia de Marketing da Schneider Electric.” Schneider Electric “Com o projeto e candidatura efetuada com sucesso pela Mercal ao Portugal 2020, permitirá à empresa internacionalizar a sua atividade de forma competitiva para os mercados alvo: Espanha, França, Itália, Alemanha e Reino Unido.” Talent “Os serviços prestados pela Mercal permitiram ao Grupo NIGEL aumentar a sua competitividade, crescer nos mercados internacionais, e beneficiar dos incentivos ao investimento.

A NIGEL obteve ainda certificação de diversos sistemas ISO: Ambiente, Saúde, Segurança no Trabalho e Segurança Alimentar” NIGEL “O projecto efetuado permitiu à SARVINHOS crescer e aumentar a sua capacidade exportadora para os seus mercados alvo: Reino Unido, Alemanha, Rússia, Angola e China. A SARVINHOS obteve também com sucesso a certificação de diversos sistemas ISO.” Sarvinhos “Com o apoio da Mercal, foram identificados os mercados considerados mais atrativos, e foi possível operacionalizar com sucesso a estratégia de internacionalização que foi definida, para os mercados: África do Sul, Alemanha, Angola, Arábia Saudita, Argélia, Argentina, Brasil, Canadá, Chile, Coreia do Sul, EAU, Egipto, EUA, Indonésia, Irão, Jordânia, entre outros.” Sferamed The Commonwealth of Nations By Robert Wilde Updated June 14, 2016.

The Commonwealth of Nations, often called just the Commonwealth, is an association of 53 independent nations, all but one of which are former British colonies or related dependencies. Although the British empire is mostly no more, these nations grouped together to use their history to promote peace, democracy and development. There are substantial economic ties and a shared history. List of Member Nations Origins of the Commonwealth Towards the end of the nineteenth century changes began occurring in the old British Empire , as the colonies grew in independence. In 1867 Canada became a ‘dominion’, a self-governing nation considered equal with Britain rather than simply ruled by her. The phrase ‘Commonwealth of Nations’ was used to describe the new relationships between Britain and colonies by Lord Rosebury during a speech in Australia in 1884. More dominions followed: Australia in 1900, New Zealand in 1907, South Africa in 1910 and the Irish Free State in 1921. continue reading below our video Test Your General Science Knowledge In the aftermath of the First World War , the dominions sought a new definition of the relationship between themselves and Britain.

At first the old ‘Conferences of Dominions’ and ‘Imperial Conferences’, begun in 1887 for discussion between the leaders of Britain and the dominions, were resurrected. Then, at the 1926 Conference, the Balfour Report was discussed, accepted and the following agreed of dominions: "They are autonomous Communities within the British Empire, equal in status, in no way subordinate one to another in any aspect of their domestic or external affairs, though united by a common allegiance to the Crown, and freely associated as members of the British Commonwealth of Nations." This declaration was made law by the 1931 Statute of Westminster and the British Commonwealth of Nations was created. Development of the Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth evolved in 1949 after the dependence of India, which was partitioned into two wholly independent nations: Pakistan and India. The latter wished to remain in the Commonwealth despite owing no “allegiance to the Crown”. The problem was solved by a conference of Commonwealth ministers that same year, which concluded that sovereign nations could still be a part of the Commonwealth with no implied allegiance to Britain as long as they saw the Crown as “the symbol of the free association” of the Commonwealth.

The name ‘British’ was also dropped from the title to better reflect the new arrangement. Many other colonies soon developed into their own republics, joining the Commonwealth as they did so, especially during the second half of the twentieth century as African and Asian nations became independent. New ground was broken in 1995, when Mozambique joined, despite never having been a British colony. Not every former British colony joined the Commonwealth, nor did every nation who joined stay in it. For instance Ireland withdrew in 1949, as did South Africa (under Commonwealth pressure to curb apartheid) and Pakistan (in 1961 and 1972 respectively) although they later rejoined. Zimbabwe left in 2003, again under political pressure to reform. The Setting of Objectives The Commonwealth has a secretariat to oversee its business, but no formal constitution or international laws. It does, however, have an ethical and moral code, first expressed in the ‘Singapore Declaration of Commonwealth Principles’, issued in 1971, by which members agree to operate, including aims of peace, democracy, liberty, equality and an end to racism and poverty.

This was refined and expanded in the Harare Declaration of 1991 which is often considered to have “set the Commonwealth on a new course: that of promoting democracy and good governance, human rights and the rule of law, gender equality and sustainable economic and social development.” (cited from the Commonwealth website, page has since moved.) An action plan has since been produced to actively follow these declarations. Failure to adhere to these aims can, and has, resulted in a member being suspended, such as Pakistan from 1999 to 2004 and Fiji in 2006 after military coups. Alternative Aims Some early British supporters of the Commonwealth hoped for different results: that Britain would grow in political power by influencing the members, regaining the global position it had lost, that economic ties would strengthen the British economy and that the Commonwealth would promote British interests in world affairs. In reality, member states have proved reluctant to compromise their new found voice, instead working out how the Commonwealth could benefit them all. Commonwealth Games Perhaps the best known aspect of the Commonwealth is the Games, a sort of mini Olympics held every four years which only accepts entrants from Commonwealth countries.

It has been derided, but is often recognised as a solid way to prepare young talent for international competition. Member Nations (with date of membership) Antigua and Barbuda

Question: Which former Portuguese African Colony joined the British Commonwealth in 1995?
Answer: MOZAMBIQUE